Fire Department/EMS honor guard back from Waco

By JESSICA THORNTON Special Projects Writer

Published 12:04 pm, Saturday, April 27, 2013

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Courtesy PhotoThe Plainview Fire Department Honor Guard, which consist of Lt. David Sells (left), Harrison Hart, Capt. Matt Blackburn, Scott Stapp and Tommy Marquez, was among those participating in the procession Thursday before the memorial services for the nine first responders killed at the explosion of the fertilizer plant in West. less

Courtesy PhotoThe Plainview Fire Department Honor Guard, which consist of Lt. David Sells (left), Harrison Hart, Capt. Matt Blackburn, Scott Stapp and Tommy Marquez, was among those participating in the ... more

Fire Department/EMS honor guard back from Waco

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It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for five members of the Plainview Fire Department/EMS Honor Guard as they were one of a number of departments honoring the nine first responders who died in the April 17 explosion at the West fertilizer plant.

According to Lt. David Sells, Fire Chief Rusty Powers approached the five men about participating in the procession before the services Thursday, which were held on the Baylor University campus in Waco.

Sells explained that the Lubbock television stations made phone calls to area fire departments, asking if they would be making the trek to Waco and taking part in the procession.

Plainview and Lubbock weren’t the only departments which sent a delegation to Waco — Idalou, Levelland, West Carlisle, New Deal and Lorenzo sent delegations to honor the fallen firefighters

It was a last-minute deal for Plainview, as the plans for five of six members of the honor guard came together Tuesday, with the group departing Plainview on Wednesday.

“It was a successful trip,” said Equipment Operator Harrison Hart.

The day of the services started early with the men arriving early enough to make it to the staging area to find out where they were going to be in the procession.

“We were already planning on walking,” Sells said.

He added that due to the large number of firefighting apparatus in the procession, there were some firefighters who needed to walk.

According to Hart, 4,000 were originality scheduled to participate, but that number quickly grew to 10,000 and 12,000 by the time of the event.

“It was totally overwhelming for them,” Hart said.

The Ferrell Center on the Baylor campus seats 12,000, and with the large number of people participating, many had to be turned away from the memorial services.

The number of departments which attended the service is uncertain, Hart and Sells agreed.

“There’s no telling,” said Capt. Matt Blackburn.

In addition to various fire departments from throughout Texas, there were delegations from Alberta, Canada, Los Angeles and all across the United States.

The procession started at the H.E.B. supermarket terminal, which is less than a mile from where the memorial service was held.

With the attendance of President Barack Obama and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, everyone who attended the services was required to go through Secret Service.

The memorial service started at 2 p.m., and according to Sells, the five Plainview Fire Department representatives left the parking lot of the Ferrell Center at about 6 p.m.

The five firefighters returned to Plainview about 2 a.m. Friday, and in the 12-year history of the honor guard, this was the farthest it has traveled.

Sells, speaking for the group, expressed thanks to City Manager Greg Ingham, the Plainview City Council and Fire Chief Rusty Powers for allowing them to to participate in the service.